San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-07-07


on Deck-Santone's Wal
nut Hills.
There Is a tide In the affairs of cities
as Of men, which, taken at lts flood, leads
on to fortune" SO might have sung the
bard OF the San Pedro, slightly changing
the words of the immortal Byron, had he
stood with the prophet of the LIGHT,
this morning, on the site of thst West
End Hotel" to be, and overlooked the
goodly land Of promise which lay like a
sIoping sea of green between his feet
and the wooded banks Of the river be-
low.
So much has been said Of late concern
ing that West End Addition" or Ala
mo Annex" or walnut Hills Improve
ment," or whatever II may be the good
pleasure of the landed syndicate having
the matter in charge to name the child
OF their CreatiOn-th the LIGHT, not
willing to take fancy for fact and always
insisting on going to the fOunt8in-head
for knowledge. determined upon per-
sonal inspectiOn OF
The PREMISES.
uTnlllk uut west lTOlu int west line
OF the San Pedro springs park n tramp
of about eighty rods led to the eastern
boundary line of the syndicate grounds
These lands, with such others as are
wholly within the control OF the syndi-
cate, comprise tract of about 1000
acres. which may be generally described
as a high plateau, three-tifths of q mile
In width and something more than two
and One-halt miles in length. Gods
genial sun never shOne upon q track so
naturally prepared to the hand of man
for such purposes as that to which this
has now been dedicated. Supreme good
judgment stood sponsor for the act of
selection. The entire body of land
slopes gently away on either side from
gradually rising crest which forms its
central ridge, sfiOrding throughout Its
entire length the most perfect nat
ural drainage, and leaving not one foot
of undesirable land in the Whole sixteen
hundred. There is q gradual ascent
from the eastern boundary line until
whole. some two miles distant and up
on which is 10 be built the new hotel.
CAR TRACKS.
Following the stakes of the surveyors
who are busy locating the line for the
steam dummy which is to connect the
syndicate grounds with the San Pedro
springs track, it Is easy to note the
natural advantages of the location.
Westward, as the crow flies, without a
curve or break, directly under the
tracks of the San Antonio & Arkansas
Pass railway to BOerne, through the only
oulveTt allie wing such favorable transit,
the dummy line follows the crest of the
grounds, dividing the syndicate tract
fairly in the middle and bringing every
lot within q quarter of mile OF the line,
an advantage which could not be seCur-
ed by any other disposition of the track
or grounds. This rail line enters the
syndicate ground at an elevation little
below that of the government depot.
which lies due east, just over the cent, I
OF the San Pedro springs park. The
gradual ascent of the ground towards
the hotel site soon brings the track to a
level with the Cover nment hill, and fol
more than two-thiTds OF the way, as as.
certained by surveyors levels, the track
lies higher than the United States de.
pot. THUS it rises till IL reaches it,
greatest altitude, just where 1t termi
mates at the foot of the hotel park. From
this point one fairly looks down on gov
eminent hill, on Dignowity hill, and seet
the houses Of the old Alamo city peeping
from their leafy environment Ear below
the vantage ground Of observation.
In addition to this dummy line Their
will be built provided right OF way cal
be secured from the city counciD stree
car line, branching off from the Sar
Pedro springs line at the corner Of Hous
ton and Acequih street, and running IL
north westerly direction past botl
hospitals until it joins the dummy tract
at the city limits. This line will be ,
most valuable addition to tn,
street car advantages already pos
sessed, as 1t will open NJ
to densely populated section OF thu
city the conveniences of q means o
travel long desired but hitherto unen
joyed. Within this district, west OF tht
North Flores street-car line and north o
the Sunset railway, there is a pOpulR
ton OF from 10000 to 1900 souls. There
are very few sidewalks, no paved
streets nor macadam roads, and thit
street line will be a perfect luxury Il
those who dwell in that section. These
people pay taxes, help support the bur
dens Of municipal government and ar,
justly entitled to consideration at thu
hands OF the city council. Col. Angus
Belknap, who is now absent from the
city, has been written to in reference Il
this new llnef and may arrange to builC